According to the stats, this NUFC player would make the 2018/19 Premier League team of the season

According to the stats, Fabian Schar has been one of the best defenders in the Premier League this season.

This comes from WhoScored.com – the world’s largest football statistics site – who’ve handed him an average rating of 7.30 that sees him included in their Premier League ‘best XI’ for the 2018/19 season.

WhoScored factor in every element of the game, from pass completion, to interceptions, tackle success, discipline and aerial duels, so while this never paints the full picture, it shows what strong season the £3.5m summer signing has had.

As their team of the season suggests below, PFA player of the season Virgil Van Dijk has been the only Premier League centre-back better than Schar according to the stats:

It must be said that numbers don’t tell the whole story – I saw an Arsenal fan trying to prove that Mustafi had been better than Van Dijk this season via stats – however this does back up our feeling that Schar has had a terrific first season in England.

Get the Latest NUFC news in your inbox!

Looking at Schar’s teammates, the next highest rated Newcastle player on WhoScored’s database is Salomon Rondon with an average rating of 7.00, while Isaac Hayden comes next (6.98), followed by both Ayoze Perez (6.95).

With 3 crucial goals, one assist, several battling displays at the back and some moments of brilliance when playing out from the back, it’s fair to say Fabian Schar has been one hell of a buy for little over £3m.

(Fancy writing for us? Send any articles/ideas over to us at NUFCblogsubmissions@gmail.com & we’ll get back to you!)